Upper Providence woman jailed for stealing $30K from Trappe employer

NORRISTOWN — An Upper Providence woman who once worked as an administrative assistant for a Trappe-based housecleaning service company faces time behind bars after she stole more than $30,000 from company accounts.

Jennifer Ann Johnson, 34, of the first block of Orchard Court, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to nine to 23 months in the county jail, to be followed by five years’ probation, after she pleaded guilty to a felony charge of identity theft in connection with incidents that occurred between November 2011 and December 2012 while she worked at MaidPro, a housecleaning service company located on West Main Street in Trappe.

Judge William R. Carpenter also ordered Johnson to pay $31,146 in restitution in connection with the crime. Johnson is eligible for the jail’s work release program during her incarceration, the judge said.

The judge added that Johnson’s probationary term can be terminated two years’ early, but only if she has paid restitution in full.

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With the charges, authorities alleged Johnson stole funds through payroll direct deposits by creating fraudulent W-2 earned income statements for people who applied for employment but who had never worked for the company.

An investigation of Johnson began in January 2013, when the president of Zook Industries, doing business as MaidPro-Collegeville, contacted state police at Skippack to report theft and fraudulent activities at the business, according to the criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper John Becker.

The report to police was made after three women, who had applied for employment with MaidPro but were never hired, contacted company owners indicating they received W-2 statements indicating income from employment at MaidPro, according to court papers. The investigation determined the income was paid via direct deposit and was directly deposited into three bank accounts that were eventually linked to Johnson, according to the criminal complaint.

Johnson, according to court papers, was hired by the firm in August 2011 as an administrative assistant and her responsibilities included payroll administration, human resource functions and overall office management.

Johnson, according to the arrest affidavit, was one of only two employees who had access to payroll and human resource software on company computers.

The investigation determined Johnson used identifying information for job applicants and employees to generate 72 fraudulent direct deposits, according to the criminal complaint.

Other charges of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of computer, computer trespass and tampering with records were dismissed against Johnson in exchange for her plea to the felony identity theft charge.

About the Author

Carl Hessler Jr. writes about crime and justice at the Montgomery County Courthouse for The Mercury and 21st Century Media Newspaper’s Greater Philadelphia area publications. A native of Reading, he studied at Penn State University and Kutztown University before graduating from Alvernia University with a degree in communications. He is a recipient of a National Headliner Award and has been honored for his writing by the Keystone Press Association, Philadelphia Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania. Reach the author at chessler@pottsmerc.com
or follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews.